The present invention relates to a device for accelerating projectiles from a launching tube that is closed at one end, with a plasma produced and heated by an electric arc generated between a pair of electrodes.
U.S Pat. No. 2,899,864 discloses firing devices which operate according to the electrothermal principle. In such firing devices, the hot plasma required to drive the projectile is generated and heated with the aid of an electric arc between two fixed electrodes. The fixed electrodes are disposed at the closed (breechblock) end of the tube. Heating of the plasma by means of an arc between the electrodes produces a pressure which accelerates a projectile disposed in the tube. Because of the flow processes in the tube, it is not possible during acceleration of the projectile for the pressure generated in the immediate vicinity of the arc to also occur at the base of the projectile. The velocity of the projectile at the open end of the tube is noticeably less in this case than would be possible if it were accelerated by the pressure existing in the volume occupied by the electric arc.